NASCAR Sprint Cup at Talladega: Two-Car Tandem Returns, News and Schedule

The one thing that is constant at Talladega is the unexpected. Despite NASCAR's changes for this race, the two-car tandem is alive and well. The drivers race with heavy hearts on the high banks.

The spring race at Talladega saw Dale Earnhardt Jr. push his teammate, Jimmie Johnson across the finish line in the tandem draft.

NASCAR authorized a larger restrictor plate opening that would minimally increase horsepower. They also changed the pressure relief valve to discourage the tight two-car pairings and prohibited lubricants on the bumper.

The Sprint Cup teams must closely monitor the limits of their cars before overheating, making the offset move the drivers use to get air into the front of the cars more critical.

The swapping done by tandem pairs may have to be done more frequently, thus increasing the chance of accidents as the higher closing rate of other pairs of cars comes into play simultaneously.

The lubrication of the bumpers in the spring race allowed the cars to slide more easily from behind the front car in the pairing. The always innovative teams are using a slippery tape in lieu of a lubricant.

Teams, owners and drivers will honor the passing of IndyCar driver, Dan Wheldon, at Las Vegas last week.

The drivers will race with thoughts of Wheldon and decals on their cars as the sixth race of the 10-week Chase for the Sprint Cup gets underway.

In practice sessions the pairings of cars was evident. Drivers chose their dance partners and picked up as many friends as possible, should they be needed during the race.

Kyle Busch blew a right front tire after 12 laps in the second practice causing the No. 18 M&Ms team to go to a backup car. He was able to get back on track with a couple minutes to spare in practice.

Hendrick Motorsports will be trying to get their 200th win with one of their four teams. It is likely Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. will be paired together and Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin will once again run in tandem.

The April race saw eight cars so tight at the finish line that Johnson beat Clint Bowyer by a mere .002 seconds.

There were 88 lead changes last spring, prompting a reward of $100,000 to the driver who leads the most laps if there are more than 100 lead changes in the Good Sam Club 500.

Monetary incentives may lead to more controversy because it ratchets up the intensity of the competition level.

When Wheldon met his untimely death last week he was racing for a $5 million bonus if he won.

Johnson appears to be out of title contention, but that is the story for this week. He is behind 35 markers and stands eighth in points, but we know the wild swings this Chase takes.

The 35-point deficit roughly translates to 145 points under the previous point system. In 2006, Johnson made up 146 points with five races remaining to win his first championship.

The hot contenders for this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup title will not go down easily. Carl Edwards has not finished worse than eighth in the Chase and is looking for a win.

Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch could easily get on a roll, both having dodged bullets at the tracks about which they were most concerned.

The Penske drivers have the same goal of winning. But Brad Keselowski and his team will throw caution to the wind while Kurt Busch and his crew chief attempt to prove they are still fighting for the same cause despite some discord.

Could this be the one chance in the Chase that Earnhardt can give Junior Nation what they have so patiently waited for after his winless streak of 124 races?

The race at Talladega promises to be one that could be a points game changer. The "big one" is expected to be lurking at every turn.

The two-car tandem may not be racing to some people, including drivers, because it is takes a driver's destiny somewhat out of his own hands. But as they say, it is what it is. We should be in for a whopper of a race.

Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at noon ET on Speed TV and the race is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN.

Enjoy the race!